Q.Define a 'consumer' as per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
As per Section 2(7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, a consumer is a person who:
- Buys goods for a consideration that has been paid, promised, partly paid and partly promised, or under a system of deferred payment, and this includes any other person who uses such goods with the buyer's approval; or
- Hires or avails a service for a similar consideration, and this includes any beneficiary of that service who uses it with the first person's approval.
The Act expressly covers transactions made offline or online, through electronic means, teleshopping, direct selling or multi-level marketing — recognising e-commerce as a normal consumer channel.
Exclusion: a person who obtains such goods or services for resale or for any commercial purpose is not a consumer — except where the goods/services are obtained exclusively to earn a livelihood through self-employment, which still counts as consumer use.
A 'consumer' under the 2019 Act is anyone who buys goods or hires/avails services (online or offline) for consideration paid, promised or under deferred payment — including an approved user/beneficiary — but not a person buying for resale or any commercial purpose, unless that purpose is self-employment for a livelihood.
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